The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-03
THAT CHICAGO CORNER STONE AFFAIR.
The Press Severely Rebukes the Vacillation
Of the Committee on Arrangements.
al to the Indianapolis journal.

Special TO the indianapolis Journal
CHICAGO Oct. 2.-As part of the programme
the occasion of the visit of President Cleve-
land to this city. next Wednesday. it was pro-
posed to have him lay the cornerstone OF the
splendid Auditorium Building. The labor orga-
nizations objected to this on the ground that
non-union nen were employed in the con-
struction of the building, and declared they
should not take part in the parade on Wednes-
day if the proposed cornerstone laying was car
risd out The committee on arrangements
alarmed at the threats Of the labor organiza-
tions, reconsidered its action, and the President
will not be asked to assist at the cornerstone
ceremony: This decision of the committee has
been received by the leading papers of the city
with emphatic protest
The Journal says: 1.-THE objections that were
made to the proposition that the President
should be asked to lay the cornerstone Of this
edifce were unfounded. The cash that 1t will
cost to erect the building goes into the pocket of
labor. Such enterprises rebound to the advant-
age of labor, and it would have been appropriate
that the President of tie whole people, in lay
Ing the corner stone of such a structure, should
honor labor and honor the work of it's hands"
The Herald has strong editorial on tho sub
lect. 1t declares that the Auditorium is a not
able structure Of quasi-public character. 1t
will be grand feature of Chicago architecture
erected at private cost. but mainly devoted to
public uses. 1t is not designed as a means of
money getting, and the investors do not hope
for dividends. 1t Is irnpro bable that the hall
will be ready for next years national conven-
lions, and that these well as other great as
Bemblages, destined to become his
torical, will meet within its walls There
was impropriety therefore. in asking the
chief magistrate of the country, on the occa-
sion of his visit to Chicago. to lay the corner
stone OF the walls that now rising in colossal
grandeur. The directors of the Auditorium
Company are in no wise responsible for the char
acter the affiliations of the craftsmen en-
gagged upon the structure. They invited pro-
posals for the work, and let the same to con-
tractors whose employ ment of men the directors
cannot control" After speaking of the threat
of the labor organizations not to parade, the
Herald says: Under this implied threat the
committee appears to have abandoned feature
previously determined upon and thus
TO have embarrassed the President, whose
consent to lay the cornerstone was obtained.
and to have signified its own subseryiancy to a
dictation which was unwarranted as il was
organization to decline participation in a parade
cannot be questioned it may. if it choose, as
sign reasons for its refusal; but as it has no
right of command. the committee which, by
reason of an impertinent protest abandons a
definite programme. makes decidedly mistake.
It is not too late to reconsider action which
impugns the courage and good sense of the COM
mittee on arrangements, and 10 effect plays
battedoor and shuttlecoek with the President
lending him from pillar TO post in undignifed
fashion,